Buffering in Pursuit of Fourth A.J. Moir Stakes Sprint Win

Buffering will be attempting a fourth A.J. Moir Stakes when he takes to the turf of Moonee Valley on Friday. The nine-year-old bay gelding has won in 2012, 2014 and 2015 in the weight-for-age 1200 m affair that was elevated to Group 1 status for 2013, when it was won by Samaready, with Buffering running second.

Buffering had 58.5 kg for his wins in 2014 and 2015. He is not the favourite for this year’s race. That honour goes to Chautauqua, priced at $2.25 in the 10-horse field for the race on AFL Grand Final Eve.

Extreme Choice at $3.75 and Lucky Hussler at $6.00 are both ahead of Buggering’s $7.00.

Chautauqua has the edge of being three years junior to Buffering. Extreme Choice, at three, is just old enough to qualify for the Moir Stakes. Even Lucky Hussler is two years younger than Buffering, so the race is shaping up as an old guard versus middle-aged guard versus new guard amongst the four leading contenders.

Buffering was a deal of almost Tulloch proportions; as he was purchased for $22,000 by a syndicate of owners that has seen the horse go on to win more than $7 million in prize money. He has multiple Group 1 wins to his credit, the last being the AL Quoz Sprint in March, followed by a dead last finish in the Group 1 Chairmans Sprint, which was won by Chautauqua.